


Saved by the Sword

by AceandShadow



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Songs of War (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst and Feels, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Prologue, Thalleous won't say what he needs to, The Great War, Timber is the 3rd wheel, Very One-sided, conflicted hearts, it's almost there, some pining I think?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:46:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29845161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceandShadow/pseuds/AceandShadow
Summary: After days of chasing Ingressus, Achillean catches up to him only to find that he isn't as ready as he thinks he is and gets himself in trouble. Luckily for him, there was someone familiar around to save him from the Deathsinger... and himselfBut the more he thinks about it, the more it doesn't seem like a coincidence that the two meet again which leads him to question what Thalleous was really doing there... and why...
Relationships: Achillean Nestoris/Thalleous Sendaris
Kudos: 3





	1. Interception

**Author's Note:**

> this is the most one-sided pining you'll ever see but I swear it wasn't meant to be this bad
> 
> also Thalleous is that awkward in between where he doesn't want to be soft and reveal his feelings, but he still wants to show that he cares goddamn that was hard to write XD
> 
> I'm not sorry about any of it XD

“Ingressus!”

Ingressus stopped in his tracks and whirled around to the familiar voice that called to him with such intensity that it made his hair stand on end, the echo bouncing off the surrounding mountains. He reached for his sword on his back, the flames igniting the blade, ready for the challenge. He scanned his environment for the Nestoris fisher.

He had gone uninterrupted for days, but he had not been fruitful with his time and was already frustrated by his lack of success. The last thing he needed was the sound of Achillean in the distance, distracting him further.

The Tidesinger stood poised and ready to strike, despite being a considerable distance away from him. Ingressus allowed himself a small smile at the sight of Achillean. He knew he wouldn’t see it.

“You took your time!” he responded, standing up straight and trying to maintain the same intensity.

“Indeed, I have, Ingressus! Just for you!”

Ingressus chuckled as Achillean slowly walked towards him, the vibrancy of his Nestoris colours making him nauseous. He had a love-hate relationship with the colour yellow.

He thought for a moment as Achillean continued making headway, seemingly unphased – _what would it take to eliminate him right here, right now?_

“Turn away, now, Achillean! I do not need you interfering with my plans!”

Achillean had spent days chasing Ingressus down and to find him alone was more of a worry than finding him at all, but he was not willing to let him go again. Not this time.

Both Ardoni gripped their weapons and Achillean was the first to charge, determined to stop Ingressus and put a stop to their nightmare. Ingressus charged back in retaliation, determined not to let Achillean stop him from achieving his goal.

Just like old times, the pair fought back and forth, each countering the other’s attack, jumping around each other, their blades clanging with every hit, both of them tanking every punch and every kick with grunts as they bounced off rocks and rolled on the ground. They appeared evenly matched.

Ingressus, however, had one advantage over the Tidesinger – a clear motive. He may have always been the superior fighter for having twice the experience, but Achillean’s mind was clouded for he was unsure of his own intentions against the Deathsinger and engaged without a proper plan. He knew what the other clans wanted, but it certainly wasn’t what _he_ wanted, yet he could think of no other way.

In all his thoughts as he fatigued against the Deathsinger, Achillean stumbled and tripped over his own footing, opening himself to a kick in the side from Ingressus’ foot, causing his staff to come flying out of his hands as he fell backwards onto the ground.

Not too far from the two opposing Ardoni, another warrior of familiar markings had spotted the duel and noticed as the Tidesinger stumbled under the pressure of the Deathsinger. Without a second thought, he turned and bolted towards them as fast as his horse would carry him.

The Deathsinger walked towards Achillean as he propped himself up on his elbows, his sword pointing at his chest. He looked at the Nestoris fighter panting and he chuckled.

“You never learn, do you?” he said. Then he narrowed his eyes. “You are the last thing I need, right now, Achillean…” Ingressus inched closer until his sword made contact with Achillean’s chest and he pushed it against his body.

The other Ardoni had made significant ground towards the Deathsinger and the Tidesinger, but he knew that despite his best efforts, he wasn’t going to make it completely unaided. Without stopping, he leaped off his horse and continued on-foot, reaching for his sword on his back and his blue markings lighting up bright as he dug deep to charge his Mobillium Song.

Achillean didn’t say anything. There was nothing for him to say as Ingressus stood frozen, eyeing the tip of his blade touching Achillean’s chest, and then looking Achillean directly in his eyes. There was no fear in them. Similarly, Achillean saw no malice in Ingressus’ eyes. They both knew one was not stronger than the other – there was always a reason to hold back.

But Ingressus blinked away and his markings illuminated with the aura of his Aggressium Song charging. Achillean would be lying if he said he didn’t somewhat fear Ingressus, but after everything they’d been through, he had hoped of so much more from the Voltaris leader.

As he closed his eyes in preparation for Ingressus’ Shotgun Song, a thundering echo sounded and, before they had time to establish where the sound had come from, a Sendaris Ardoni had thrust himself into the Deathsinger and knocked him completely off his feet and he landed in a heap on some rocks, the Shotgun Song blasting just past Achillean.

“Thalleous?” Achillean prompted as the Sendaris warrior turned to face him, catching his breath with Timber only a few feet away, having caught up.

Thalleous holstered his sword and extended his arm to Achillean to help him to his feet. He didn’t say anything as he brushed past to retrieve the Tidesinger’s staff from the floor.

As Achillean brushed himself down, he held his hand to his chest where the Deathsinger had his sword only moments ago, feeling the small wound left behind and he sighed. _Close call…_ He didn’t think it would ever come that close…

He looked up as Thalleous also placed his hand on his chest and pushed him into the cliffside with purpose, his face unamused by what had just transpired. He stared intensely at Achillean. He felt his back hit the cliff hard and he grunted against the Sendaris champion’s weight as he still leant into him.

“ _What was that!?_ You could have gotten yourself killed!”

Achillean was breathless trying to work out why Thalleous had him pinned against the wall. There was no way he was willing to fight him to escape, but he could see that Thalleous wasn’t going to let him go, unanswered. He was without an answer – at least, not an answer that Thalleous would be happy with.

“I have spent _days_ chasing Ingressus, Thalleous, and today I found him. What else was I supposed to do?” His response had a bit more ground in his head, but as it escaped his lips, his voice couldn’t project it as much as he’d hoped. Instead, it came out as a meek tremble. Thalleous was far more intimidating this up close.

“Never engage in a battle without a clear head.” Thalleous leaned closer into the Tidesinger, still pushing his weight against him, holding him against the rocks.

Achillean challengingly leant back into Thalleous’ face, matching his gaze, their breath crossing each other and heating the air between their faces as they stood a hair’s breadth from one another. Achillean was trying to show him that he wasn’t intimidated and maintained a straight face, but Thalleous had noticed the Tidesinger’s body shaking lightly with uncertainty.

“What are you even doing here, Thalleous?” Achillean said, trying to stop himself from shouting back at the Sendaris champion.

Thalleous pressed harder against Achillean’s chest, pushing him back against the wall to shake his composure and testing his patience, but he found himself gripping the Tidesinger’s hand underneath his own as he felt the Nestoris’ heartbeat pounding hard and pounding fast. He couldn’t tell if that was nervousness or anticipation. He clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth trying to find the words he wanted to say – only the words that he wanted Achillean to hear. He couldn’t tell him why he was _really_ there.

Eventually, he bailed.

“Does it matter? Just count yourself lucky…” He had started with a growl, but his voice trailed off as he stood up straight and released the Tidesinger, slowly letting go of his hand and watching as it fell to his side. He knew he needed to regain his assertiveness if he was to avoid suspicion.

He handed Achillean back his staff and turned to look at where the Deathsinger had landed when he countered him.

_Gone._ No sign of him anywhere.


	2. Intervention

Achillean sighed in frustration. He contracted and holstered his staff on his back.

Thalleous turned back to him as he perched on a small rock, holding his head in his hands, slumped and unsure. He sighed deeply, realising that his temper was both because of how much he cared for Achillean and how close he was to almost losing the Ardoni’s best chance against the Deathsinger. But he was only willing to admit half of that.

“Now I have to chase him down again…” Achillean said, hurt.

Thalleous felt a little bad for the pressure he had given the Tidesinger and stood next to him, placed a hand on his shoulder and pinched it slightly, rubbing his fingertips over his tense muscles without realising. He felt Achillean relax slightly with his touch.

It didn’t last long, for Achillean grew tired of Thalleous’ silence and brushed him off, standing up to look at him with a small fire reigniting in his eyes.

“Why did you interfere?” he asked, not even trying to hide his tone of accusation.

Thalleous was initially hurt by Achillean’s reaction, but then it set in that, while he did so to save the Tidesinger, he also did it because he couldn’t bear the thought of losing him. He took a moment to formulate his answer carefully.

“Because you were reckless, and you went into a battle with the Deathsinger without a plan and even _I_ could see that your head wasn’t in the game. We cannot afford to lose you!”

Achillean scoffed. “It wouldn’t have mattered if my head _was_ in the game. He wouldn’t have killed me…” Yet again, he tried to muster a stern voice against the Sendaris champion and failed, trailing off at the end of his argument.

Thalleous eyed him carefully.

“And you would be willing to take that chance? Because I know I speak for almost our entire species when I say that I wouldn’t be, if I were you…”

“But you are not me!” Achillean finally yelled, wishing immediately that he hadn’t. He heard the echo play back his anger around him and his posture dropped. Thalleous mirrored him.

Silence filled the air as the two Ardoni avoided eye contact and stood sheepishly opposite each other. Even Timber could sense the awkwardness between them and stood back slightly to let them figure it out before one of them said something they would soon regret – as if they hadn’t already.

Thalleous exhaled and prepared to re-engage the conversation, only to be cut off by the Tidesinger asking the same question again. This time, he was calmer and more collected.

“Why are you here, Thalleous?”

Thalleous calmly sat down on the rock and looked Achillean in the eyes to determine what twisted truth he could conjure and how well he would take it, before resulting to the absolute truth that would potentially shatter any illusion anyone had of him. Achillean’s eyes were tired, their light dim in comparison to the rest of his markings, and his patience thin.

“I was passing through because I heard rumours of the Deathsinger’s presence. Then I heard your shouting and proceeded to investigate,” he lied. “Quite frankly, I am glad I did.”

Truth be told, Thalleous had been keeping a close eye on Achillean ever since their first handful of encounters together. He had developed a strong attachment to the Nestoris fighter despite knowing very little about him, but he was never not in awe in his presence. He knew that the Ardoni, along with the kingdoms, would want him to take on the Deathsinger and, it wasn’t that Thalleous didn’t have any faith in Achillean, it was that he knew of the risks and that the chances of survival dwindled with every passing moment that the Deathsinger grew stronger.

He hurt at the thought of losing Achillean. But he wasn’t about to say that to anyone. He wasn’t about to show any of his feelings.

Achillean cocked his head, suspicious, and Thalleous could see that his lies were not going to get him very far.

“If there were, as you say, ‘rumours’ of the Deathsinger around here, I’d have heard them the same way that you did. Instead, I was here by chance. I doubt very much that _you_ were…”

Thalleous jolted at Achillean’s suggestive tone and they made eye contact. Their gazes had barely locked before Achillean had worked out the real answer and sighed heavily and turned away from Thalleous, burying his head in his hands as he tossed it back. He groaned, rubbing his face. Nothing more needed to be said.

Thalleous knew, then, that he should not have lied his way to Achillean, and he looked away, ashamed.

“I do not need a _babysitter_ , Thalleous!”

All of the Tidesinger’s Songs responded to his emotion as they lit up around him. He wasn’t afraid of raising his voice anymore.

Achillean’s exasperation rang against Thalleous’ ears and he had begun pacing, unsure of what to say or do.

Thalleous had only wanted to protect the Tidesinger – even if it was ultimately for a selfish purpose. He never meant to _push him away…_

“No. Listen to me-”

Without thinking, he got up and grabbed Achillean, wrapping his hands around his upper arms and gripping them tightly, holding him still in his grasp and waited for him to muster the strength to look him in the eyes again. He gently rubbed his thumbs up and down Achillean’s arms, tracing his markings as they glowed beneath his hands, to remind him that he wasn’t there to be a pain. He was there because he cared.

Thalleous felt Achillean relax a little and he took one of his wrists and placed his hand on his chest, enveloping it in his own with the same tenacious grip as always.

“Do you feel that?” he asked, barely above a whisper. A moment of silence stood as the pair felt Thalleous’ steady heartbeat beneath the palms of their hands.

Achillean nodded. Thalleous then moved their hands and pressed on Achillean’s chest, holding his hand tighter.

“What about that?”

Achillean’s heartbeat was just as steady and he nodded again, closing his eyes tight, hiding the tears from Thalleous and trying not to sniffle as he felt his frustration melt away.

“Use it,” Thalleous asserted. “Use your heart. Fight with it. Think with it. You will never go wrong.”

He pressed a little harder against Achillean’s chest to try and get him to open his eyes again.

Achillean scrunched his face and tried to turn away from Thalleous, holding a hand over his mouth to hide his feeble whimpers as he crumbled, but the Sendaris champion only gripped him tighter, holding him together.

“My heart is not where you think it is, Thalleous. It is split…between Ardonia and-” he said, his voice breaking a little. He paused and took a deep breath, prepared to explain himself - about Ingressus, Aegus, the fishing, the fighting... _All of it._ Then he bailed, convinced that it would only make matters worse.

Thalleous’ shoulders dropped and his grip on the Tidesinger loosened. He always knew Achillean was a character maze inside, but he trusted him with everything he could give and accepted his answer. Achillean was young and full of raw emotion and Thalleous was older and more straightforward - he would never truly understand where his heart was, but at the end of the day, did he need to?

No. He trusted the Tidesinger would do what he needed to.

“Okay,” he said, finally. He typically wasn’t one for showing as much sympathy as he had done that day, but he didn’t know how many more times he would be able to see the Tidesinger again before the war was over.

Achillean let a single tear roll down his cheeks.

“If you will excuse me, now… Thalleous…” he began awkwardly. “I must return to a…war…” He allowed himself a small half-smile to inch along his face trying not to discredit Thalleous’ efforts in helping him. “I appreciate what you have done for me, Ky’Thalleous… I do…”

Thalleous slowly released the Tidesinger again with a sigh. He smiled.

That’s all he could do. There was nothing more to say and there was nothing more to do but let the Tidesinger do his thing the only way he knew how and trust that it would be for the better.

Trust that it would _always_ be for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I regret nothing


End file.
